In an ideal draft, you will get an earlier-round value out of each of your picks. In other words, if your third-rounder performs like a second-rounder, your fifth-rounder performs like a third-rounder and your 10th-rounder performs like a seventh-rounder, you should have a competitive team.
We call these players "sleepers," because your opponents are snoozing on them during drafts, thus allowing you to snag them later than they should go.
In order for you to be fully prepared to take advantage of your competitors, I have compiled the top sleepers for the 2015-16 campaign, based on the average draft position (ADP) in ESPN leagues as of Oct. 4. I've categorized these sleepers into three groups:
Sleepers based on ADP: Players who I think should be selected higher in drafts than their current ADP. Basically, players who are creating terrific value right now.
Upside value plays: Players who I think have an appropriate ADP based on all factors, but who I suspect will end up outproducing their draft positions anyway.
Late-round wild cards: Players with enough question marks to make them last until the later rounds, but whose ADP I expect will rise in the coming weeks.